RCMP Reveals Findings of Internal Review on James Smith Cree Mass Stabbing Tragedy
Saskatchewan RCMP recently disclosed documents from an internal review regarding a mass killing and manhunt that occurred in September 2022, where a lone individual terrorized the community, resulting in nearly a dozen fatalities. The review of the mass stabbing incident concluded that there were no underlying circumstances that hindered the RCMP’s response.
Although James Smith Cree Nation expressed concerns about the response time to the stabbing spree, the report determined that the response was timely and the initial dispatch call could not have been expedited any further.
The report describes how events unfolded rapidly following the initial report of the attacks reaching the Melfort RCMP detachment before 6 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2022.
Despite encountering delays due to waiting for a partner, officers responded promptly to the call. They arrived at the scene 28 minutes after departure, although it took them nine minutes to leave the station after the initial call.
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An emergency operations centre was established by the RCMP, with senior management in Regina, but the report highlighted instances where the chain of command was unclear.
During the manhunt for Sanderson, communication breakdowns occurred. For instance, on Sept. 7, while pursuing Sanderson in a stolen truck, two commanders decided to intercept the vehicle without informing another commander responsible for overseeing tactics.
The report recognized the necessity of the action but recommended improved communication among emergency operations divisions to clarify authority in crucial moments.
Issues with air support coordination were also noted, including a delay on Sept. 7 when Sanderson was sighted in Wakaw, but all aircraft were refueling at the time, leading to a critical delay.
To address these issues, the report suggested appointing a flight coordinator to manage pilots effectively.
Despite these challenges, the RCMP stated they would not designate an “air boss” in similar situations.
According to the report, some call centre tips on Sanderson’s whereabouts did not reach decision-makers. In response, the RCMP committed to assigning a criminal analyst and major crimes investigator in the call centre.
Superintendent Joshua Graham, head of the Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit, acknowledged the difficulties of managing a complex investigation like this and emphasized the need to learn from the experience.
A total of 36 recommendations were provided in the report, focusing on resource allocation, officer training, and frontline support.
Chief Superintendent Ted Munro expressed pride in the police response to the incident but recognized the need for improvement based on the recommendations.
First Coroner Inquest
The first inquest analyzed the fatalities in the community, with eight out of 15 findings relevant to the RCMP, as per the document.
One of the recommendations involved updating photos in the police database, a measure the RCMP agreed with and was in the process of implementing.
Several recommendations focused on enhancing staffing, emphasizing the need for more personnel in specialized units such as drug enforcement and traffic divisions to address the current vacancy rate of approximately 30% within the RCMP.
The RCMP outlined plans to recruit and train new applicants across multiple fiscal years to bolster their resource base and operational capacity.
Efforts to engage with community leaders in the James Smith Cree Nation to develop and implement community safety plans were already underway, according to the RCMP.
Additionally, the RCMP committed to ensuring frontline officers have access to up-to-date photographs of individuals under investigation, facilitating better operational effectiveness.
Furthermore, updates to “most wanted” lists to be circulated among all RCMP detachments in the province were being implemented to improve coordination and information sharing.
Regarding the recommendations related to addressing repeat offenders of domestic violence, the RCMP acknowledged the challenges associated with data collection and prioritization efforts but vowed to explore new processes to enhance their effectiveness.
- Training officers in the Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT)
- Reviewing high-speed chase policies and criteria
- Enhancing training for vehicle extraction during arrests
The RCMP affirmed their commitment to incorporating these recommendations into their ongoing training and operational protocols.
National Emergency Response Team (ERT) and police dog service members were undergoing training in PIT techniques to handle high-risk pursuits effectively. Updates to high-speed chase criteria were also implemented to ensure a comprehensive assessment of each situation before initiating, continuing, or discontinuing pursuits.
Existing training on vehicle extraction provided by the National Police Intervention Unit (NPIU) was noted, with potential enhancements contingent on collaborative efforts between Depot Police Defensive Tactics (PDT) and NPIU.
The Canadian Press contributed to this article.
